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Trowers down to one associate in Saudi office

Trowers is a firm that has always punched above its weight in the Middle East. But since 2008 when things got tough, they have stood still, while more recent arrivals have invaded their turf and stolen marches with their ailing, longstanding clients by dramatically undercutting them on price whilst offering greater international reach and depth (not to mention quality). Loyalty counts for less in tight markets; Trowers have found this out the hard way and lost work to competitors playing a long game. Sure, these new arrivals will barely break even in the short term but they will have had a chance to show clients what they can do, added to their regional track record and cemented their reputation. It may now be very difficult for Trowers to get back in with their old chums and Mutawi has uphill struggle on his hands. They need a big shake-up in personnel; clear out the deadwood, improve the salary structure and attract a handful of star senior associates & junior partners to inject some fresh impetus into the place. While they do still have a handful of very good people in Bahrain, UAE and Oman, it is hard to see them hanging on to them at this rate.

13-Sep-2011

6:56 am